Friday, May 26, 2006

Before I left work early to embark on the 3 day holiday weekend, I wanted to send you all out a lil positive energy in hopes that you enjoy the memorial day weekend however the hell you see fit (i.e. whatever makes you happy). Whether that be spending it with friends & family, escaping it all by going away for the weekend, drinking massive quantities of alchohol (and/or or smoking a few blunts..smile), sleeping in, b-b-q-ing pound upon pound of meat, and/or singing in the shower...whatever!! I hope your weekend really rocks.

Just don't forget the true meaning behind the day! Memorial Day is a day to remember all the fallen soldiers who died so we can retain our freedom. So pay your respects between beer gulps, ya hear me?!!!

If you haven't heard of or read the classic novel - 1984 yet, do yourself a favor and go check it out of the library. Since I have started reading the book, I can't put it down. The views and visions this novel portrays about a crazy, all-engulfing totalitarian government and it's brainwashed citizens just sends chills down my spine. Especially with the blatant abuse of power that the US government has been flexing lately, somehow the books words hit my like a gong and make the dark reality of the novel more like a horror story in my eyes.

Word to the wise though: if you haven't read the book and click on the link I gave you, steer clear of the last paragraph: it kinda gives away the ending.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

List up to ten (10) things you want to say to ten (10) different people. Do not state who these people are. Do not confirm or deny any 'comment speculation'.

1. I'd like to think one day we will get married, yet sometimes I feel like I'm not good enough for you2. And the most boring conversationalist award goes to...you! 3. Your voice is so squeaky it makes me want to tear my eyes out!4. Stay in school young buck; you have so much potential and are TOO smart to just drop out!!5. I hope one day you can forgive me and we can be friends again. I love ya.6. I feel like we've known each other for years even though we just met7. I want to call you to hang out but I know I will just have to deal with your bullshit all over again8. You were my first love but not the last. Who knew my heart could heal after all that SHIT?!!9. You try to perpetrate as a friend but your really just a maniacal bitch10. Thank you for always being here for me (you're the bomb)

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Well, Saturday was my brothers wedding and it went off without a hitch (apart from that crazy cop who threatened to tow our limo when we went to take pictures at the Adler Planetarium - but that's another story all-together). What else can I say about the joyous day (which over 200 people attended) except that both the bride and groom were as happy as school kids in love. As for me, I have learned I have developed a LOVE-HATE relationship with standing up in weddings...especially big weddings.

Behold the top 5 pros and cons of standing up in a wedding

created by: dragonflypurity

Pros 1. You get the whole up close and personal experience with the happy couple: i.e. seeing the pre- chapel jitters, standing so close to them during the vows you can touch them, and traveling in style in the limo dammit !!!2. You look damn hot, baby (so hot in fact the boyfriend can't keep his eyes and hands off you)3. The traditional bridesmaid/groomsmen gifts you get as a thank you for everything4. Experiencing the feeling of joy, hope, and excitement that only a wedding of someone you love can bring you5. Did I mention the limo ?

Cons1. A smile needs to be plastered on your face the whole time. In my experience, your cheeks will hurt and will need at least a full day to heal2. All the damn pictures you need to take...due to the proximity of me & the happy couple, I know there are probably some scary looking pictures out there with me scowling, adjusting my bra area, or just plain looking crazy. Let's just hope they don't circulate the internet on snapfish or something. (Oh well)3. Do to all the planning, running around, and other responsibilities of being in the wedding party, you really don't have time to actually ENJOY the wedding until it's extremely late at night. And by that time: you are so freakin' tired that your feet are throbbing & all you can think about is slipping into a nice hot bath then some comfy sweatpants4. Not spending any time with the significant other you want to spend the rest of your life with - which, coincidentally, was not part of the wedding party5. Between the compounded pain of wearing your shoes and/or dress for a good 18.5 hours AND the hangover you have the day afterward, you feel like somebody just kicked your @ss something fierce

I know it's only hump day, but to me, it's already Friday. I am leaving work early today and have tomorrow and Friday off to entertain family coming in from out of town for my brothers wedding - which takes place this Saturday! Four day weekend here I come ! And a busy weekend it will be: between entertaining family, being in the wedding, and my boyfriends shoulder surgery tomorrow, I have to help plan the rehearsal dinner AND do all last minute errands for the wedding that I have been putting off for weeks.

Aside from the stress of it all, the wedding has sparked something else in my heart: joy. I have never seen my brother so happy and alive as he is right now (which is saying a lot because my brother is an eternal optimist and is always smiling). I know Saturday when the vows take place I will surely shed a tear- the first of my tears to ever fall due to a wedding.

Monday, May 15, 2006

This was one of the most productive (and fun) weekends that I've had in a long time. In a period of 2.5 days, I have:

~ Brought the new Gnarls Barkley cd (it's HOT, so peep it)~ worked on my house with the boyfriend: including rerouting electrical, patching up drywall, and painting (check)~ Went partying Friday night (check)~ Scrubed and washed the mutt, who got wall paint all over his little body (check)~ Cleaned the house from end to end plus did laundry (double check)~ Watched Mission Impossible 3 with the boyfriend (check)~ Spent quality time with the family in celebration of Mothers Day (check)~ Spent quality time with the boyfriend and mutt every available moment

Thursday, May 11, 2006

There is no rhyme or reason to my tearsthey come and fall at their own discretion each entering the world from the corners of my eyesonly to die on the axis of my chineach tear stands uniquefinding pain and beauty in the intricaciesmy soul has woven each a subtle reminder of life

despite myself...I still bear long forgotten baggageit rolls over me in the form of tearsthey roll down my faceinexplicably opening the floodgates of my soulheld inside for over 27 years

Have you read about how the U.S. government has been collecting data on the phone calls of TENS OF MILLIONS of Americans, including those calls made by American Citizens NOT suspected of terrorist activities? While I know that big brother spying on us shouldn't surprise me in the least bit, this news somehow blew my mind. It truly creeps me out that my private conversations with friends & family are no longer private. Whether I want to have phone sex, talk politics, or cry on the phone it's NONE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S DAMN BUSINESS!! Aren't there more important things to spend OUR PRECIOUS tax dollars on than spying on us and building a HUGE database to index it all ?

Another feeling I cannot repress is the anger for what our government is evolving into. Maybe "evolving into" is the wrong phrase to use, because in many people's eyes, it's been the same bullshit being shoveled to us for many years.

Any way you cut it, this mass indexing of american citizen calls is an unacceptable invasion of privacy laws AND blatant abuse of government power. It clearly violates the U.S. Communications Act which states that telephone companies are prohibited from giving out any information about their customers without a court order. Furthermore, this abuse of power totally disregards the 4th amendment!

Thursday, May 04, 2006

A study conducted by salary.com took into account the top 10 roles a mother plays for her family, compromising of jobs like day care teacher, cook, janitor, driver, and even psychologist to figure out what a mother SHOULD get paid for all her hard work and dedication to her family. By inputting the amount of hours she puts in for each role and multiplying it by the average hourly wage for each, it was calculated that the average stay at home mother should be receiving a $134,121 per year for services rendered to her loved ones: a salary equivalent to an executive position! Now if she is a mom who holds down a job outside of the home, she would earn an extra $85,876 on top of what she already earns! In my opinion, my mother's value is so much more than even that: you just can't put a dollar value on everything she did, and continues to do for my familia. That being said, I thought the study was interesting, though it fails to show how that hard work continues long after the children get into college (in many cases, it never stops ya'll - just the type of work she does changes).

And while you're at it, don't forget to get your mother something extra special next week to show her how much you appreciate everything she does! She deserves it and so much more!! Truth is: she has the hardest job in the world!

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

It should be a crime to have to work on beautiful days such as today. They should be declared as quai-holidays, allotted to employees like PTO or sick days - dubbed mental health and appreciation days (MHAD). Hee hee. Talk about having cabin fever. What can I say: it's just too gorgeous outside to be stuck in the office behind a computer from 9-5!!!!

Monday, May 01, 2006

Today marks what would have been my grandpa's 77th birthday. And despite the fact he was a loner and we barely spoke more than an hour or so straight in my life, today I find myself thinking of him constantly.

As I said before, Felipe was a quiet man: he kept to himself and stood somewhat in the shadows when it came to family life. He was born and raised in Aguadilla, PUERTO RICO - a small fishing town located on the island's northwest corner and loved to drink and smoke (much like myself, I might add). He had 12 children with my grandma (I know they were freaky freaks) - of which mi madre is the eldest. From what I hear he was one hell of a salsa dancer. OH, and he LOVED baseball - he was forever a White Sox fan. I only wish he was around to cherish their championship last year. He would have just died (no pun intended). In any case, in 2001 he died of emphysema which progressed into lung cancer, which was due to smoking heavily for most of his life. I will never forget, despite the pain he endured with his illness, how he smoked cigarettes to his last day on earth.

It's sad that everything I ever knew about my grandpa could be summarized into one short paragraph. With that said, I shed a tear of sorrow with the revelation that I will never truly know the man my grandpa really was.

tea cup wisdom

"It requires all Americans to realize that your dreams do not have to come at the expense of my dreams; that investing in the health, welfare and education of black and brown and white children will ultimately help all of America prosper." ~ Barack Obama